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This cross-sectional study examined factors that impact the emotional well-being of Hispanic immigrants. This study considered the experience of stigma, acculturative stress, and traumatic events on the emotional well-being of Hispanic immigrants, while exploring various coping strategies that are employed. Data from 198 Hispanic immigrants in the United States was collected from an online survey, and a multiple linear regression was used with several predictor groups. Results indicated statistical significance between traumatic experiences, acculturative stress, positive/negative religious coping, and avoidant coping styles on the emotional well-being of Hispanic immigrants. These findings hold significance for social workers and offers considerations for assessment, treatment, and advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-disgust, a negative self-conscious emotional schema that is associated with mental health difficulties in both clinical and non-clinical populations, is typically assessed with self-reported measures that target physical and behavioural aspects of the self. The aim of the present research was to develop and validate a novel implicit self-disgust measure (ISDM) using an Implicit Association Task (IAT) paradigm, across three studies. Study 1 developed a list of disgust-related and positive words that were rated for emotional valence and arousal and informed the content of the ISDM. Study 2 developed and examined the ISDM using the single-target IAT in a non-clinical population and showed that scores in the ISDM were significantly associated with self-reported self-disgust. Study 3 partly replicated the findings of Study 2 among participants with trauma-related experiences and following a mood induction paradigm, showing a significant association between the ISDM and the physical aspect of self-reported self-disgust. These findings are significant because they have implications about the automaticity of self-disgust in people with traumatic experiences which can further inform clinical practice and interventions targeting self-disgust. • The Implicit Self-Disgust Measure (ISDM) was developed and used for the first time. • The ISDM was associated with the total explicit self-disgust score in a non-clinical sample. • The ISDM was associated only with physical explicit self-disgust in participants with trauma experiences. • The ISDM was associated with trauma and anxiety symptoms in participants with trauma experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Adverse life events (e.g., severe accidents, violence/abuse, organic disorders) can elicit traumatic responses characterized by intrusive thoughts, hyperarousal, and avoidance—highlighting the need for sound assessment tools. Also, these traumatic components could heighten anxiety and depression symptoms. This study aims included to: (1) assessing the psychometric properties of the Post-Traumatic Symptom Questionnaire (PTSQ) and delineating clinical cut-offs; (2) investigating how distinct trauma components contribute to anxiety and depression symptoms. Involving 761 participants who experienced a traumatic event, Part I tested the PTSQ psychometric properties, defining clinical cut-offs. Part II tested the impact of traumatic components on anxiety and depression symptoms, using a multiple multivariate latent regression model. PTSQ exhibited exemplary fit indices and robust psychometric properties. Clinically relevant cut-offs were identified. The differential contributions of intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal to anxiety and depression symptoms were evaluated, elucidating the strength and nature of these relationships. This study reaffirms the PTSQ as a psychometrically sound and reliable instrument. It underscores the effects of intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal on anxiety and depression symptoms in individuals with traumatic experiences. These insights advocate for evidence-based interventions aimed at alleviating the psychological suffering associated with trauma components, fostering adaptation and supporting psychological health.

School counsellors who work with children and young people within the education system and have experienced trauma themselves can be significantly affected by challenging events. The current research focussed on understanding the post-trauma needs of school counsellors who continue their work in earthquake-affected regions. A phenomenological design was used in this study. Twenty-two school counsellors who experienced the 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude Maraş earthquakes in Türkiye in 2023 and are still working in the affected areas were interviewed. The findings showed that the needs of school counsellors after the earthquake could be categorized into three themes: (1) I want practice, not theory, (2) I want hope for myself and (3) I want people for my profession. Specifically, school counsellors reported a need for trauma and crisis intervention training, individual support, supervision and physical resources (e.g. collaboration, accommodation and stationery). The implications for school counselling are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objectives The aim of this article is to analyse the impact of climate change on broadly understood global security and to provide recommendations for further research on this issue. Material and methods For the purposes of this study, the basic research method used was a review of the literature and the results of the latest research on global warming, its causes, and impact on various aspects of the functioning of societies and states. The descriptive analysis method was also used. Results The greatest security threat resulting from climate change is that much of it is not yet known. It cannot be ruled out that the critical point of climate change has already been exceeded, and the effects of this Conclusions The only solution seems to be to prepare for more frequent and intense weather extremes and to change the perception of what is a climate anomaly and what is the norm. Holistic research should also be carried out on the impact of climate change on the human security environment, both in social and biological terms. Such research should take into account all possible, even not yet existing, variables.

Background Aim Methods Results Conclusions The work of midwives is emotionally challenging. Midwives share moments of joy, when a baby is born, and attend complex events of loss and trauma. Exposure to childbirth complications, emergencies, and loss can affect their professional quality of life and functioning. This aspect of midwives' practice has not been sufficiently researched.To examine the associations between exposures to traumatic events, post‐traumatic symptoms, and personal resilience with professional quality of life and organizational commitment among hospital midwives.Participants in this cross‐sectional study conducted in 2020 included 131 midwives from three large hospitals in central Israel. Data were collected using a structured self‐administered questionnaire that examined socio‐demographic characteristics, exposure to traumatic events during childbirth, personal resilience, post‐traumatic symptoms, professional quality of life, and organizational commitment.The three most traumatic events for midwives were: neonatal death or feared death, maternal death or feared death, and stillbirth. The more frequent the exposure to traumatic events, the more numerous and intense the post‐traumatic symptoms. The more numerous and intense the post‐traumatic symptoms, the higher the level of professional burnout and compassion fatigue and the lower the compassion satisfaction. Higher compassion satisfaction and lower professional burnout were associated with higher organizational commitment. Personal resilience, country of birth, post‐traumatic symptoms, and organizational commitment predicted compassion satisfaction.Midwives' exposure to traumatic events is associated with the onset of post‐traumatic symptoms, impaired professional quality of life, and reduced organizational commitment, and is accompanied by burnout and compassion fatigue. There is a need to address this issue in training programs and to develop organizational support and policies to improve midwives' well‐being and quality of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research note presents the findings of a project aimed at understanding the life and livelihood experiences of displaced Myanmar women in Thailand. Since the 2021 Myanmar military coup, thousands of people, including women of diverse socio-economic backgrounds, have fled Myanmar to neighbouring Thailand, where they are living as undocumented refugees with restricted livelihood opportunities. The results show that, in displacement, the lived experiences of these women vary according to their status and backgrounds. What is common, however, is that the displacement experiences of these women begin from a position of loss. Thereafter, their trajectories differ in terms of the way they seek to overcome the challenges of displacement and the associated traumatic experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study aims to investigate the estimated symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTSD) among the residents of the violent line of control (LoC) of Azad Kashmir. Design/methodology/approach: This study is a quantitative, exploratory study. The sample comprised 235 males and 225 females, aged 18–35years (N = 460). The traumatic appraisal questionnaire (TAQ) was applied to the determined sample and their responses were statistically analyzed. Findings: It was identified through quantitative research that people living near the LoC had higher PTSD symptoms as compared to those living farther away. Moreover, females exhibited higher PTSD than males. Religious beliefs were identified as the most common coping mechanism used by residents of LoC. Practical implications: Awareness sessions and seminars will be conducted with the help of mental health professionals in those areas with high estimated PTSD symptoms. This research will also help mental health professionals in Azad Kashmir to understand PTSD issues of LoC people. Originality/value: This study focuses on estimating PTSD symptoms among residents living near the LoC in Azad Kashmir, an area characterized by violence and conflict. This research offers practical implications for mental health interventions, such as conducting awareness sessions and seminars with the help of mental health professionals. Furthermore, the study can enhance the understanding of PTSD among LoC residents, aiding mental health professionals in providing more effective support and care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The athlete’s perception of internal and external information seems to be crucial for the prevention of sports injuries and the self-regulation of healthy states. The goal of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship of athlete’s psychosomatic intelligence with injuries and mind-body practices. After obtaining the ethical approval, 217 young soccer players responded to a Psychosomatic Competence questionnaire assessing six dimensions: stress experience and stress regulation (SER), body-related health literacy (BHL), body-related cognitive congruence (BCC), mentalization (M), interoceptive awareness (IA) and general self-regulation (GSR). Mann–Whitney analysis was performed to detect potential differences of the items of these dimensions with three factors: (i) previous serious injuries, (ii) current injuries and (iii) mind-body practices. The main findings showed higher item-rating of: (a) IA by those previously and currently injured, (b) M by those currently injured and (c) SER, BHL, BCC and M by those engaged in mind-body practices. In conclusion, previous and current injuries appear to act as protective mechanisms linked to heightened IA, while mind-body practices seem effective educational strategies to promote self-regulation, detection and communication of health-related symptoms. Future research is warranted to focus on strategies for developing psychosomatic intelligence to prevent sports injuries in young players.

Background: Research shows that adult refugees’ well-being and future in the reception country heavily depend on successfully learning the host language. However, we know little about how adult learners from refugee backgrounds experience the impact of trauma and adversity on their learning.Objective: The current study aims to investigate the perspectives of adult refugee learners on whether and how trauma and other adversity affect their learning.Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with 22 adult refugees (10 women) attending the Norwegian Introduction Programme (NIP). The participants came from six Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and African countries. Two questionnaires were included, one about past stressful life events (SLESQ-Revised), and one about mental health symptoms and current psychological distress following potentially traumatic experiences (PCL-5).Results: Participants held varying beliefs about trauma’s impact on learning: that it had a constant impact, that it was situational, or that it had no impact. Other aspects they brought up as having an essential effect on learning and school attendance include psychological burdens from past and present school experiences, and post-migration hardships such as loneliness, depression, ongoing violence, and negative social control. Post-migration trauma and hardships exacerbated the burden of previous trauma and were frequently associated with a greater negative influence on learning.Conclusion: This study adds new insights from adult refugee learners themselves into how post-migration hardships as well as trauma can impact their learning, and the importance of recognising their struggles. A safe space is required for refugees to open up about their difficulties in life and with learning. This knowledge can be used to enhance teaching practices, foster better teacher-student relationships, and inform policy-making decisions, ultimately benefiting both individuals and society.

As the Syrian crisis has reached its 10th year, this paper explores posttraumatic growth and the related factors among Syrian refugees in Turkey, with the aim of having a better understanding of the predictors of PTG and the risk factors that may play a role in the inhibition of the growth. In this cross-sectional study, 217 displaced Syrian refugees completed the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Brief COPE, General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and sociodemographic information form by a self-reported online survey. Risk and protective factors were associated in bivariate analysis with growth p0.05). In conclusion, the findings have provided valuable insight into the domains of the growth among Syrian refugees and discussed both clinical and research-based future recommendations that could be made to improve the mental health of the refugees based on the obtained results. Key implications for practice • Mental health practitioners should focus on interventions highlighting personal strengths that increase active coping skills and self-efficacy and reduce self-blame • Policymakers should take actions to prevent the retraumatization of the refugees by considering the psychological impact of the lack of the host country’s language and the inconsistency of the refugees’ work with their education • Mental health researchers should focus on factors that explain posttraumatic growth and developing intervention tools that promote growth

Running away from a residential care center is a worrying reality due to high-risk behaviors adopted by many youths such as delinquency, substance abuse, risky sexual behavior and risky driving. Because youth in residential care may have been exposed to a variety of traumatic experiences (e.g. emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, emotional and physical neglect), the purpose of this study is first, to examine the association between these experiences and high-risk behaviors in adolescents in residential care. Second, this study aims to explore the explanatory mechanisms (impulsivity and sensation-seeking) behind the adoption of high-risk behaviors in runaway and non-runaway youth in residential care. To this end, 125 adolescents aged 15–17 who had run away at least once and 75 who had never run away from their residential care center completed self-report questionnaires about traumatic experiences, high-risk behaviors, sensation seeking and impulsivity. To address the study objectives, correlation and conditional mediation analyses were conducted. Results indicate that sensation seeking influences the relationship between traumatic experiences and delinquency, as well as drug and alcohol use. Thus, addressing sensation seeking tendencies could reduce the risks inherent in the adoption of certain high-risk behaviors among youth in residential care centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Social Identity Model of Traumatic Identity Change proposes the group membership gain hypothesis, which refers to developing positive new group memberships after trauma that may contribute to posttraumatic adjustment. However, only a few empirical studies conducted in Western societies have provided correlational evidence for the hypothesis. The current research conducted three studies to test the hypothesis in China. Study 1 (N = 315) through survey confirmed the positive association between new group memberships and posttraumatic growth among Chinese adults with traumatic experiences. Study 2 (N = 300) replicated the findings through the hypothetical scenario, discovering that participants expected a hypothetical person who experienced trauma and gained new group membership after this trauma would develop posttraumatic growth. Study 3 (N = 300), in a further refined hypothetical scenario (i.e., replacing the hypothetical vignette and protagonist in Study 2), yielded consistent results, demonstrating the impact of new group memberships on anticipated posttraumatic growth behavioral intention. The current research, for the first time in China, examined the group membership gain hypothesis and emphasized the importance of social group membership management in facilitating posttraumatic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Hypothesis Trauma is a robust risk factor for delusional ideation. However, the specificity and processes underlying this relationship are unclear. Qualitatively, interpersonal traumas (i.e. trauma caused by another person) appear to have a specific relationship with delusional ideation, particularly paranoia, given the commonality of social threat. However, this has not been empirically tested and the processes by which interpersonal trauma contributes to delusional ideation remain poorly understood. Given the role of impaired sleep in both trauma and delusional ideation, it may be a critical mediator between these variables. We hypothesized that interpersonal trauma, but not non-interpersonal trauma, would be positively related to subtypes of delusional ideation, especially paranoia, and that impaired sleep would mediate these relationships. Study Design In a large, transdiagnostic community sample (N  = 478), an exploratory factor analysis of the Peter's Delusion Inventory identified three subtypes of delusional ideation, namely magical thinking, grandiosity, and paranoia. Three path models, one for each subtype of delusional ideation, tested whether interpersonal trauma and non-interpersonal trauma were related to subtypes of delusional ideation, and impaired sleep as a mediating variable of interpersonal trauma. Study Results Paranoia and grandiosity were positively related to interpersonal trauma and unrelated to non-interpersonal trauma. Furthermore, these relationships were significantly mediated by impaired sleep, which appeared strongest for paranoia. In contrast, magical thinking was unrelated to traumatic experiences. Conclusions These findings support a specific relationship between interpersonal trauma and paranoia as well as grandiosity, with impaired sleep appearing as an important process by which interpersonal trauma contributes to both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn contemporary psychoanalytic theory and practice, the patient’s and the analyst’s body are growing in importance. Over time psychoanalysis has become enriched by neurosciences, sociology, neonatal studies, philosophy, literature, and art. It is especially focused on what has not been represented and integrated within the mind, and on how to recover, represent, transform, and integrate these types of experiences, with the corporeal experience now acquiring more prominence.I will assemble those so-called “poetic” aspects in the formation and manifestation of the symptom, which come from embodied and non-symbolized experiences. I will start from the observation that poetry offers an embodied meaning, learned through the body before being understood in the mind.Similarly, the suffering world of our patients can resonate within the therapist like a poem or a piece of music. Through careful attention to the resonances in the body and in reverie, therapists can deduce the personifications inhabiting that internal world. It is as if the poetic experience is situated “on the border” between the sensorial dimension and the verbal dimension.After a brief review of the psychoanalytic literature on corporeal experience in psychoanalysis, a clinical vignette will clarify these statements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States Census Bureau estimates there were 5,793,873 children living in "grandfamilies" in 2021. Children reside with a grandparent caregiver when a parent is unwilling or unable to care for their child, which often overlaps with traumatic experiences. These children are also at risk of developing disrupted attachment due to the separation. Increased exposure to traumatic events and disrupted attachment are linked with emotional issues in children, including feelings of loneliness. Increased traumatic experiences in childhood were linked with problematic internet use in emerging adulthood to cope with feelings of loneliness. Data from the second wave in the national Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study was used to explore this hypothesis (N= 12638; 1.9% grandchildren; M age = 12.95). Moderation analyses indicated the overall model was significant and accounted for 9% of the variance (R²=0.09, p < 0.01.). The moderation of household type was not significant, but the relation between loneliness and the number of hours spent on the computer was significant (b = 5.1, t(237) = 2.38, p < 0.01). The results show that while there is a significant relation between the children's feelings of loneliness and the number of hours they spend on the computer daily, there was no significant difference between types of family units. Children with feelings of loneliness may use computers as a coping mechanism broadly, regardless of their family system. Targeted interventions to provide safe internet usage for children experiencing loneliness should be explored. Grandparents may benefit from psychoeducation on problematic internet usage for their grandchildren. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse childhood experiences have been linked to detrimental mental health outcomes in adulthood. This study investigates a potential neurodevelopmental pathway between adversity and mental health outcomes: brain connectivity. We used data from the prospective, longitudinal Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study (N ... 12.000, participants aged 9-13 years, male and female) and assessed structural brain connectivity using fractional anisotropy (FA) of white matter tracts. The adverse experiences modeled included family conflict and traumatic experiences. K-means clustering and latent basis growth models were used to determine subgroups based on total levels and trajectories of brain connectivity. Multinomial regression was used to determine associations between cluster membership and adverse experiences. The results showed that higher family conflict was associated with higher FA levels across brain tracts (e.g., t(3) = -3.81, β = -0.09, pbonf= 0.003) and within the corpus callosum (CC), fornix, and anterior thalamic radiations (ATR). A decreasing FA trajectory across two brain imaging timepoints was linked to lower socioeconomic status and neighborhood safety. Socioeconomic status was related to FA across brain tracts (e.g., t(3) = 3.44, β = 0.10, pbonf = 0.01), the CC and the ATR. Neighborhood safety was associated with FA in the Fornix and ATR (e.g., t(1) = 3.48, β = 0.09,pbonf = 0.01). There is a complex and multifaceted relationship between adverse experiences and brain development, where adverse experiences during early adolescence are related to brain connectivity. These findings underscore the importance of studying adverse experiences beyond early childhood to understand lifespan developmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to explore and understand the common experiences of mothers whose children were sexually abused by their biological father. It is a qualitative approach using multiple case study research design. The study was conducted to selected Shelter House of Sexually Abused Children specifically Incest case. Three (3) mothers referred by Laura Vicuña Foundation; four (4) from Palayan City Home for Girls; and three (3) mothers from NCR referred by Guidance Counselors with the case of Incest. The criteria of selection were limited to mothers whose daughter was sexually abused by their biological father. The ages of the children are between 7 and 16 years old who are still living with their mothers whose ages range from 40-59 years old. The study revealed that the experiences before, during and after the disclosure, were described as painful, unbelievable, and unexpected by the mothers. The indicative themes directly helped the mothers realize the difficulties they encountered in the arms of their own biological fathers. This represents how the indicative themes of time, person and event leads to the discovery of the abuse which leads to positive responses of being strong for their daughters as represented by the results. However, during the disclosure of the abused, it was revealed that there is an evident vision of a mother in anger and pain knowing that their daughters were abused by their biological fathers, a mother in confusion who cannot easily manage and understand the entire scene of the abuse, a mother in a jealous state since her daughter confided that in the long run of the abuse, she felt the sexual urge with his father. More so, a mother in shame is also visible for her daughter as well as her entire family because they may be put into conviction by the people around them and a mother of strength who never doubted their heart of sending her husband to jail and let him pay for his crime. Finally, the aftershock or final disclosure was also a painful revelation among daughters who were sexually abused by their own biological fathers. As such, mothers are being their daughter's shoulder to cry on, a cure to their aching hearts, a protective shield against harm, a genuine friend, and a hero to win the battle for their abused daughters. The mother and daughter respectively signify their continuous determination to move on with life and be a positive will of helping their daughters to survive from the abuse. Thus, the result became the basis in the development of a TOOLKIT FOR MOTHERS OF SEXUALLY ABUSED CHILDREN. This would be used by the guidance counselors, in helping mothers to cope up with the trauma, community and shelter house catering sexually abused children, and most specially, mothers who are the second victim of the abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The athlete's perception of internal and external information seems to be crucial for the prevention of sports injuries and the self-regulation of healthy states. The goal of this cross-sectional study was to explore the relationship of athlete's psychosomatic intelligence with injuries and mind-body practices. After obtaining the ethical approval, 217 young soccer players responded to a Psychosomatic Competence questionnaire assessing six dimensions: stress experience and stress regulation (SER), body-related health literacy (BHL), body-related cognitive congruence (BCC), mentalization (M), interoceptive awareness (IA) and general self-regulation (GSR). Mann–Whitney analysis was performed to detect potential differences of the items of these dimensions with three factors: (i) previous serious injuries, (ii) current injuries and (iii) mind-body practices. The main findings showed higher item-rating of: (a) IA by those previously and currently injured, (b) M by those currently injured and (c) SER, BHL, BCC and M by those engaged in mind-body practices. In conclusion, previous and current injuries appear to act as protective mechanisms linked to heightened IA, while mind-body practices seem effective educational strategies to promote self-regulation, detection and communication of health-related symptoms. Future research is warranted to focus on strategies for developing psychosomatic intelligence to prevent sports injuries in young players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic events are stressful episodes that exceed an individual’s coping resources and have been related to physical and mental health problems, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder. This study aims to compare the prison population and the general population in terms of trauma and psychopathological symptoms derived from exposure to traumatic events in the context of Ecuador. It is a descriptive-comparative and cross-sectional study. The study sample consisted of 99 incarcerated individuals and 84 persons from the general population of Ambato-Ecuador. The results indicate that persons from the pris-on population have experienced multiple traumas and re-victimization to a greater extent and present a higher percentage of PTSD and psychopathological symptoms than the general population. In that sense, it is a population that requires more significant intervention to reduce symptoms and prevent violent behavior.

Introduction: Previous studies suggest that the severity of alterations in cognitive functions in people with a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder are directly related to the deterioration in overall functioning and life quality. Aim: The present study aimed to test the cognitive functional model of patients with bipolar disorder regarding childhood traumatic experiences based on the mediating role of emotional instability and expressed emotion. Method: The research method is descriptive-correlational modeling of structural equations. The sample population included all patients with bipolar disorder who were admitted to Yahyanejad hospital in Babol, Iran during 17 months (from March/April 2010 until mid-September 2020). In total, 379 subjects were selected by convenience sampling. Data collection tools were The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) by Bernstein and Fink (1998), the Emotional Instability Scale by Oliver and Simpson (2004), the Expressed Emotion Level by Hall & et al. (2007), and the Cognitive Abilities Questionnaire by Nejati (2013). Data analysis was performed by structural equation modeling (SEM) in SPSS version 24 and Lisrel version 8.8. Results: The findings showed that childhood traumatic experiences directly affect emotional instability, expressed emotion, and cognitive function in patients with bipolar disorder (P

This study delves into the intricate aspects surrounding individuals with a black identity in Hamid's novel, "The Last White Man," utilizing Frantz Fanon's "Black Skin, White Masks" as a theoretical framework for textual analysis. The novel is situated within the context of the psychosocial challenges faced by black individuals, delving deeply into issues connected to the conscious and unconscious minds of these individuals. Multiple facets of black identity are explored, leading to inaction, passivity, confusion, self-denial, and an inferiority complex, among various other similar issues. These themes are examined through the transformation of various characters within the novel, revealing the impact of traumatic experiences and the complex nature of black identity. The actions and decisions of these characters are shaped by a multitude of thoughts that factor into the broader social context of society. The truths concerning black individuals presented by the author are universally applicable. This research challenges the often-self-proclaimed idea of post-racial societies as it intersects with this discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The first aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of school-based psychosocial interventions for improving mental health in rural Chinese children with traumatic experiences. The second aim is to examine which individual, family and school related factors could explain the effectiveness of school-based psychosocial interventions. Third, we will investigate whether individual, family, and school related conditions play a moderator role on the effectiveness of school-based psychosocial interventions. Methods This study will conduct a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) in a large sample of Chinese rural children. Four rural counties in Shandong (Central China), Henan (Central China), Inner Mongolia (Northern China), and Xinjiang (Western China) will be selected as study settings from which schools will be sampled. Each sampled school will be randomly allocated either the intervention groups or a control group. Randomization will be performed by the research member who is not involved in the intervention stage. In each school students in grade 5 or higher will be recruited to ensure that approximately 50 children aged 10 to 18 years will be included. In each county, one high school, one middle school, and one primary school will be randomly chosen as the intervention group, and the other three similar schools will be chosen as control (waiting list) groups. A standardized and uniform research protocol will be applied in all intervention schools. All school social workers and psychological teachers would receive one week of in-person training following procedures. School-based psychosocial interventions included 14 group sessions for 14 consecutive weeks. Discussion This study would develop school-based mental health promotion policy recommendations to improve Chinese rural children’s mental health. This study can provide solid evidence for the promotion of school-based intervention in general. Trial registration ChiCTR2300069405, Registered on 15 March 2023.

Traumatic experiences may impair reflective functioning (RF), making it difficult for individuals to understand their own and others' mental states. Epistemic trust (ET), which enables evaluating social information as reliable and relevant, may vary in association with RF. In this study, we explored the implications of different ET stances (i.e., trust, mistrust, and credulity) in the relation between different childhood traumatic experiences (i.e., emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, and physical neglect) and different types of RF impairments (uncertainty and certainty about mental states). A non-clinical community sample of 496 cisgender emerging adults (mage = 24.91, standard deviation = 2.66, 71.85% assigned female at birth, 63.63% heterosexual) reported on their childhood traumatic experiences, ET, and RF. We used structural equation models to examine direct and indirect associations. The results showed significant indirect effects between emotional abuse and uncertainty about mental states through credibility. We also observed significant indirect effects between emotional abuse and certainty about mental states through mistrust and credibility. The findings suggest that a lack of discrimination when evaluating knowledge from others (i.e., credulity) might promote increased uncertainty in RF when emerging adults have experienced emotional abuse in their childhood. Conversely, a tendency to view all information sources as unreliable or ill-intentioned (i.e., mistrust) may foster greater certainty in RF as a protective mechanism against an unreliable and potentially harmful world when combined with childhood emotional abuse. The implications for clinical practice and intervention are discussed.

Introduction: War has profound and deep-rooted ramifications for individuals and societies. War-induced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent in Kosovo. This study aimed to obtain insights into the prevalence of perceived PTSD symptoms and their relation to the traumatic experiences of two generations: parents (survivors of the Kosovo War) and youth (children born after the Kosovo War), with an emphasis on the Albanian ethnic group. These experiences were then compared to understand intergenerational trauma. The study also aimed to identify the factors affecting PTSD prevalence, the role of social support, and the participants' experience with mental health services. Method: A total of 237 Kosovar Albanians (121 parents, 116 youth) from all seven districts of Kosovo were included in this study. Study variables were measured using the PTSD Checklist, the Life Events Checklist, Criterion A, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Results: The results revealed that the youth had significantly higher levels of perceived PTSD symptoms and lower levels of perceived support than their parents. Youth whose parents had PTSD were more prone to experiencing PTSD symptoms than those whose parents did not have PTSD. These youth also experienced significantly more traumatic situations, such as exposure to sudden violent death or accidental death, assault with a weapon, sexual assault, and captivity. Participants with perceived PTSD and lower perceived social support needed mental health interventions significantly more than those without PTSD symptoms. Discussion: The findings emphasize the importance of addressing the intergenerational nature of PTSD and identifying factors affecting its prevalence, including social support and access to mental health services. The study underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to examine the complex and diverse nature of PTSD and its impact on individuals, families, and communities, especially in conflict-prone or conflict-affected societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the psychoanalytic interrelationship between traumatic experiences and dissociative phenomena. It is understood that dynamic constitution among various parts of the self is significantly impeded as a result of traumatic experiences. Working from this perspective, and based on clinical practice and references from other authors who work with dissociative disorders, including identity disorders, the main objectives are: 1) to understand dissociative phenomena; 2) to understand how a fragmented mind develops from traumatic experiences; and 3) to offer some psychoanalytic approaches that may favor, in patients and analysts, a greater integration between states of self. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence suggests that obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCSs) are positively associated with exposure to traumatic experiences and dissociative symptoms in both clinical and community samples. The current study was aimed at investigating the relationships between traumatic experiences, dissociation, and OCSs. A sample of 333 community adults (56.8% females) aged from 18 to 56 years (mean [SD], 25.64 [6.70] years) completed measures on traumatic experiences, dissociative symptoms, and OCSs. A structural equation modeling (SEM) framework was used to test if dissociative symptoms mediated the relationship between traumatic experiences and OCSs. SEM analyses showed that dissociation fully mediated the predictive association between traumatic experiences of emotional neglect and abuse and OCSs in the sample. Accordingly, some individuals suffering from OCSs might benefit from clinical interventions aimed at processing and integrating traumatic experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionWar has profound and deep-rooted ramifications for individuals and societies. War-induced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent in Kosovo. This study aimed to obtain insights into the prevalence of perceived PTSD symptoms and their relation to the traumatic experiences of two generations: parents (survivors of the Kosovo War) and youth (children born after the Kosovo War), with an emphasis on the Albanian ethnic group. These experiences were then compared to understand intergenerational trauma. The study also aimed to identify the factors affecting PTSD prevalence, the role of social support, and the participants’ experience with mental health services.MethodA total of 237 Kosovar Albanians (121 parents, 116 youth) from all seven districts of Kosovo were included in this study. Study variables were measured using the PTSD Checklist, the Life Events Checklist, Criterion A, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support.ResultsThe results revealed that the youth had significantly higher levels of perceived PTSD symptoms and lower levels of perceived support than their parents. Youth whose parents had PTSD were more prone to experiencing PTSD symptoms than those whose parents did not have PTSD. These youth also experienced significantly more traumatic situations, such as exposure to sudden violent death or accidental death, assault with a weapon, sexual assault, and captivity. Participants with perceived PTSD and lower perceived social support needed mental health interventions significantly more than those without PTSD symptoms.DiscussionThe findings emphasize the importance of addressing the intergenerational nature of PTSD and identifying factors affecting its prevalence, including social support and access to mental health services. The study underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to examine the complex and diverse nature of PTSD and its impact on individuals, families, and communities, especially in conflict-prone or conflict-affected societies.

Background: The first aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of school-based psychosocial interventions for improving mental health in rural Chinese children with traumatic experiences. The second aim is to examine which individual, family and school related factors could explain the effectiveness of school-based psychosocial interventions. Third, we will investigate whether individual, family, and school related conditions play a moderator role on the effectiveness of school-based psychosocial interventions. Methods: This study will conduct a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) in a large sample of Chinese rural children. Four rural counties in Shandong (Central China), Henan (Central China), Inner Mongolia (Northern China), and Xinjiang (Western China) will be selected as study settings from which schools will be sampled. Each sampled school will be randomly allocated either the intervention groups or a control group. Randomization will be performed by the research member who is not involved in the intervention stage. In each school students in grade 5 or higher will be recruited to ensure that approximately 50 children aged 10 to 18 years will be included. In each county, one high school, one middle school, and one primary school will be randomly chosen as the intervention group, and the other three similar schools will be chosen as control (waiting list) groups. A standardized and uniform research protocol will be applied in all intervention schools. All school social workers and psychological teachers would receive one week of in-person training following procedures. School-based psychosocial interventions included 14 group sessions for 14 consecutive weeks. Discussion: This study would develop school-based mental health promotion policy recommendations to improve Chinese rural children's mental health. This study can provide solid evidence for the promotion of school-based intervention in general. Trial registration: ChiCTR2300069405, Registered on 15 March 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The main characteristics of Anorexia Nervosa (AN) in adults are restriction of energy intake relative to requirements leading to significant weight loss, disturbed body image, and intense fear of becoming fat. Traumatic experiences (TE) have been reported as common, although less is known about the relationship with other symptoms in severe AN. We investigated the presence of TE, PTSD, and the relation between TE, eating disorder (ED) symptoms, and other symptoms in moderate to severe AN (n = 97) at admission to inpatient weight-restoration treatment. All patients were enrolled in the Prospective Longitudinal all-comer inclusion study on Eating Disorders (PROLED). Methods: TE were assessed using the Post-traumatic stress disorder checklist, Civilian version (PCL-C), and ED symptoms using the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q); depressive symptoms were assessed using the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), and the presence of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was diagnosed according to ICD-10 criteria. Results: The mean score on PCL-C was high (mean 44.6 SD 14.7), with 51% having a PCL-C score at or above 44 (n = 49, suggested cut-off for PTSD), although only one individual was clinically diagnosed with PTSD. There was a positive correlation between baseline scores of PCL-C and EDE-Q-global score (r = 0.43; p < 0.01) as well as of PCL-C and all EDE-Q subscores. None of the included patients were admitted for treatment of TE/PTSD during the first 8 weeks of treatment. Conclusions: In a group of patients with moderate to severe AN, TE were common, and scores were high, although only one had a diagnosis of PTSD. TE were related to ED symptoms at baseline, but this association diminished during the weight restoration treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Previous studies suggest that the severity of alterations in cognitive functions in people with a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder are directly related to the deterioration in overall functioning and life quality. Aim: The present study aimed to test the cognitive functional model of patients with bipolar disorder regarding childhood traumatic experiences based on the mediating role of emotional instability and expressed emotion. Method: The research method is descriptive-correlational modeling of structural equations. The sample population included all patients with bipolar disorder who were admitted to Yahyanejad Hospital in Babol, Iran during 17 months (from March/April 2010 until mid-September 2020). In total, 379 subjects were selected by convenience sampling. Data collection tools were The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) by Bernstein and Fink (1998), the Emotional Instability Scale by Oliver and Simpson (2004), the Expressed Emotion Level by Hall & et al. (2007), and the Cognitive Abilities Questionnaire by Nejati (2013). Data analysis was performed by structural equation modeling (SEM) in SPSS version 24 and Lisrel version 8.8. Results: The findings showed that childhood traumatic experiences directly affect emotional instability, expressed emotion, and cognitive function in patients with bipolar disorder (P<0.5). Further, emotional instability and expressed emotion play a mediating role in the correlation between childhood traumatic experiences and cognitive function in patients with bipolar disorder (P<0.5). Conclusion: According to the results, emotional instability and expressed emotion have a mediating role in the correlation between childhood traumatic experiences and cognitive function in patients with bipolar disorder. Therefore, in order to improve the cognitive function of people with bipolar disorder, instrumented variables of stability and emotion should be taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic experiences and genetic heritability are among the most widely acknowledged risk factors leading to the development of psychopathology; including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). The purpose of this study was to investigate if polygenic risk scores (PRS) among Veterans interacted with traumatic stress to predict PTSD and MDD. 1,389 Iraq-Afghanistan military service Veterans from the Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center dataset were analyzed. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) statistics were utilized to generate PRS for PTSD (PRS PTSD) and PRS for MDD (PRS MDD) in order to analyze PRS-by-environment (PRSxE) with trauma exposure to predict PTSD and MDD diagnoses. Trauma exposure and PRS PTSD , were independently associated with a current PTSD diagnosis (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The interaction between trauma exposure and PRS MDD to predict a current diagnosis of PTSD trended towards significance (p = 0.053). Stratifying by trauma thresholds, among those within the lowest trauma load, the association of PRS MDD with PTSD was found to be nominally significant (p = 0.03). For a MDD diagnosis, there was a significant association with trauma exposure (p < 0.001); and the association with PRS MDD was found to be nominally significant (p = 0.03). No significant PRSxE effects were found with MDD. Our findings corroborate previous research highlighting trauma exposure, and genetic heritability, as risk factors for the development of PTSD and MDD in a Veteran population. Additionally, findings suggest that genetic vulnerability may be less important as trauma exposure increases, with high levels of trauma likely to result in PTSD and MDD, regardless of genetic vulnerability. • We investigated if PRS among veterans interacted with traumatic stress to predict diagnosed PTSD and MDD, respectively. • Trauma exposure was associated with PTSD as well as with MDD. • PRS PTSD was significantly associated with PTSD and the association between PRS MDD with MDD was nominally significant. • The interaction between trauma exposure and PRS MDD to predict PTSD trended towards significance. • Among those who endorsed the lowest trauma load, the association between PRS MDD with PTSD was nominally significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of traumatic experiences and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in treatment-seeking individuals with ongoing substance use disorder (SUD) compared to individuals who have recovered from SUD. Methods: Patients with SUD recruited from the STAYER study (N = 114) underwent an examination of alcohol and drug use, childhood trauma, negative life events and PTSD symptomatology. In this study, only participants with 12-month concurrent polysubstance use was included. Using historical data from the STAYER study, alcohol and drug trajectories were dichotomised as (1) current SUD (current SUD) or (2) recovered from substance use disorder (recovered SUD). Crosstabs and chi-tests were used to measure differences between groups. Results: Childhood maltreatment, traumatic experiences later in life and symptoms of concurrent PTSD were highly prevalent in the study population. We found no significant difference between the current and recovered SUD groups. Recovered women reported a lower prevalence of physical neglect (p = 0.031), but a higher prevalence of multiple lifetime traumas (p = 0.019) compared to women with current SUD. Both women with current SUD and recovered women reported a significantly higher prevalence of sexual aggression than men (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). In addition, men who have recovered from SUD reported a lower prevalence of PTSD symptoms over cut-off 38 (p = 0.017), of re-experiencing (p = 0.036) and of avoidance (p = 0.015), compared to recovered women. Conclusion: Reported trauma did not differ between persons with current SUD and those who had recovered from SUD. Gender differences discovered in this study indicate the importance of developing individualised and gender-specific treatment models for comorbid PTSD/SUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Natural disasters can have serious mental health consequences. We aimed to examine the long-term effects of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) on postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS).Methods: The Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study recruited pregnant women in Miyagi Prefecture from 2013 to 2016. Data from 11,403 participants were used in this study. Women were asked about their traumatic experiences of the GEJE with questions addressing threat, witness, and loss. PDS were defined as Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score ≥9 at 1 month after delivery. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations of different traumatic experiences of the GEJE and number of traumatic experiences with PDS, after adjustment for age, parity, feelings toward pregnancy, education, income, social isolation, house damage caused by the GEJE, and survey year.Results: About two-fifths of women had at least one traumatic experience of the GEJE. The prevalence of PDS at 1 month after delivery was 13.3 %. Life-threatening experience and witnessing another person's actual or threatened death were associated with PDS: the odds ratios (ORs) were 1.40 (95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.24-1.59) and 1.28 (95 % CI, 1.08-1.53), respectively. Loss of close person was not associated with PDS: the OR was 1.13 (95 % CI, 0.99-1.30). Larger number of traumatic experiences of the GEJE was associated with increased risk of PDS (p for trend <0.001).Limitations: PDS was self-reported.Conclusions: Traumatic experiences of the GEJE prior to pregnancy were associated with increased risks of PDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objective: Refugees are a population that is particularly affected by violence. The exposure early violent in minors has negative consequences for their development and makes them more vulnerable to subsequent episodes of victimization in the future. As a result, several psychological interventions have been developed in order to protect the mental health of these young refugees and prevent them from developing extra vulnerabilities for their future life. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effectiveness of these interventions, as well as the effects of the type of intervention (moderator). Method: 22 original studies analyzing the effect of psychological intervention on the trauma (anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder) were selected, obtaining a total of 39 effect sizes. A metaanalysis of effect sizes (d) was executed, weighting by inverse variance and assuming a fixed-effects model. Results: The psychological intervention proved to be clinically significant with the same effect size magnitude in the health markers of trauma: treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (d = 0.96, IC 95%[0.60, 1.32]), depression (d = 0.74, IC 95%[0.31, 1.17]), and anxiety (d = 0.57, IC 95%[0.29, 0.86]). Regarding the type of intervention, we found homogenous results in relation to anxiety (all interventions are equally effective). There were inter-study heterogeneity in relation to depression, although the type of intervention did not affect effect size. In relation to post-traumatic stress disorder, the Trauma Systems Therapy did not lead to a significant improvement. Conclusions: The intervention in refugee minors is, in general, effective for trauma markers. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to establish what interventions are the most effective to restore the mental health of these minors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focuses on the complex interconnection of race, sexuality, and socioeconomic background in shaping the stories of mothers struggling with addiction disorders as they attempt to recover from traumatic experiences. A sample of 45 mothers was employed in the study. Using case study analysis methodologies, the stories of 6 mothers were used as representative cases based on their individual characteristics, community settings, and institutional experiences. Further, the 6 cases were used to describe the difficulties experienced by participants across 3 major life transitions: (1) childhood (2) initiation to drug use and addiction disorders (3) motherhood . Across these life transitions, participants emphasized the relevance of traumatic experiences and mental health disorders as main reasons for their drug addiction. For each theme highlighted in the narrative of each case, a connection to all other participants was made to summarize the findings in the whole sample. The analysis indicates that while most mothers experienced trauma during their lifetime, mothers who identified as members of racial/ethnic minorities and those who identified as lesbians were more likely to report trauma from prejudice and discrimination. Furthermore, the analysis highlights that mothers who identified as members of racial minorities were more likely to have their children placed in foster care. In the study, mothers' involvement with the criminal legal system contributed to the challenges they experienced while renegotiating their relationships with their children. These mothers' lived experiences and the complexity of the dynamics they described-especially their interactions with the legal system-could potentially help other researchers frame new hypotheses that could be tested by larger empirical studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Abstract Background Refugees are considered a high-risk population for developing mental health disorders. Yet little research has been conducted on suicidal ideation among refugees resettled in Western high-income countries. In the present hstudy, suicidal ideation and its association with different socio-demographic, flight-related, and mental health-related factors were analyzed in recently arrived refugees in Germany. Methods The study was conducted in a reception facility for asylum-seekers in Leipzig, where 564 newly arrived adult residents participated. The questionnaire included socio-demographic and flight-related questions as well as standardized instruments for assessing suicidal ideation (item 9 from PHQ-9), a variety of traumatic experiences (LEC-5), posttraumatic stress disorder (PCL-5), depression (PHQ-8), and somatic symptoms (SSS-8). Multiple logistic regression models were run to predict suicidal ideation in relation to different socio-demographic, flight, and mental health-related factors. Results In total, 171 (30.3%) participants who had just or very recently arrived in Germany reported having experienced suicidal ideation within the two weeks prior to being assessed. Those who reported suicidal ideation also reported higher prevalence of somatic symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and experiences of sexual violence, as well as worse self-rated mental and physical health. In addition, there were significant independent associations between suicidal ideation and (1) younger age, (2) longer flight duration, (3) experiences of sexual violence, (4) symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, and (5) symptoms of depression. Conclusions The results emphasize the association between suicidal ideation and different clinically relevant mental health symptoms among newly arrived refugees in Germany. Special attention should not only be given to refugees suffering from symptoms of poor mental health, but also to those of younger age as well as refugees who have experienced sexual violence, as they might be affected by suicidal ideation whether or not they suffer from other mental health problems.

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Aim and Background: Understanding the predictors and vulnerabilities of bipolar disorder is very important because the prevalence and recurrence rate of this disease is high and even after treatment, patients still experience mild symptoms and functional impairments. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of behavioral activation system–relevant cognitive styles in the relationship between traumatic childhood experiences with bipolar disorder syndrome in patients with bipolar disorder. Methods and Materials: The present study was a descriptive correlational study. The statistical population consisted of all patients with bipolar disorder admitted to Shahid Hayinejad Hospital in Babol. The sample size was 379 people who were selected by available sampling method in a period of 18 months. In order to collect the research data have used from the Child Trauma Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory- II, Mania Self-Report Scale and 3 Questionnaires of behavioral activation system–relevant cognitive styles (Perfectionism / Performance Evaluation subscale of Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale, Self-Criticism subscale of Depression Experiences Scale, and Autonomy subscale of Autonomy - Community orientation Scale). The research data were analyzed using SPSS and LISREL software and structural equation modeling. Findings: The results showed that traumatic childhood experiences have an effect on behavioral activation system–relevant cognitive styles and symptoms (depression and mania) of bipolar disorder (p